Divided Loyalties
by xCeruleanAngelx
Summary: Tragedy strikes when a beautiful young seer stumbles into Camelot. Arthur is certain he knows her, but how? Leon is forced to betray his king to save a innocent life. Forbidden secrets are told and Arthur finds that some things are better left in the dark
1. Isabelle

**A/N - I've had the plot bunnies for this fic bouncing around in my head for a while now, but lately, my muse just won't leave me alone about it. Hopefully some of you will take an interest in it, I think it will probably turn out better than most of the stories I've ****written. Happy reading! :)  
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The council room doors burst open, two guards entered, carrying with them a young woman. Her face was concealed by midnight black curls that fell like a veil around her pale, scarred shoulders. Her dress was short, stopping just above her knees, a pair of trousers covered the rest of her legs. The sleeves of the dark green garment had been shredded into mere threads, the fabric across her torso was ripped, revealing a bloody battle wound. She was tall in stature, making her appear twice as thin as she actually was. Everyone dropped what they were doing and stared curiously at the obscure sight before their eyes, thinking it was strange that the woman made no move to escape. King Arthur dismissed the council meeting, leaving only himself, Queen Guinevere, the knights, and a few palace guards in the room.

"Sire, this woman is guilty of practicing magic." Arthur looked thoughtfully at the girl, wondering why she didn't show her face.

"Are these accusations true?" he asked.

"Yes." she stated bluntly, still keeping her head down. Everyone's brows shot up in surprise, never had they seen anyone so openly confess their crimes, the woman was practically issuing her own execution. "What are you going to do about it? Have me brutally murdered just like so many others of my kind?" her voice was cold and bitter, the indignation in her words hung in the air like an icy winter chill. Arthur shivered, he knew that his father had been wrong in some of his judgements but there was no changing that now. Since he becoming king, he had tried to be a bit more lenient, sparing people here and there that really hadn't done anything worthy of death. He walked over to the woman, curiosity burning like fire in his veins, he reached out his hand and pushed her hair back so he could see her face. He did a double take as strangely familiar blue eyes flashed up angrily at him, she pursed her blood red lips together in an livid scowl. The Queen and the knights gasped, they weren't sure what they'd expected her to look like, but the image of the breathtaking creature that stood before certainly hadn't crossed their minds.

"D-do I know you?" Arthur stuttered, still in shock. For a moment, he thought he saw her face soften into a mixture of sorrow and reminiscence, but it was soon replaced with another resentful glare.

"No, you don't know me at all. But I know you, better perhaps than you know yourself." Her crimson lips turned up in a devious smirk with her last remark. A pleased smile spread across her face at Arthur's confusion, "I'm a seer, every possible future you have has been revealed to me. I've seen every choice you could ever make in you lifetime and the consequences of those choices." Arthur's head swirled, _who is this woman? Why has she been able to see all these things about me?_

"What is your name?" he asked her.

"Isabelle." _That name... it sounds so familiar_, Arthur thought.

"My Lord?" one of the guards inquired after several minutes of silence. "What do you want us to do with her?" After a few more moments of in depth thought, he replied,

"Take her to the dungeons."

**A/N - Reviews make my day so feel free to leave one! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N - Hope you're all enjoying this story so far! :)**

Gwen watched as her husband sat lost in thought on the edge of their bed. He hadn't spoken, or eaten since the event in the council chambers that morning.

"Arthur?"

"Yes, Guinevere?" the king answered, staring wistfully into space.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Arthur, I know somethings troubling you." Gwen insisted, moving to sit beside him. "Please, just tell me what it is." Arthur took a deep breath before speaking,

"The sorceress from earlier... I know her, but I don't know where from." Gwen thought for a moment, _was that really all that was bothering him? Or was there more..._

"Perhaps you've seen her in the market place or town square." she offered. Arthur shook his head,

"No, it's not that simple. I know her, Guinevere, somewhere in my the back of my mind, her identity is hidden away and I need to know the truth."

"Is it really that important?"

"Yes, it is."

The next morning pasted with little thought of the witch, but by afternoon, Arthur's curiosity was magnified tenfold. He had been discussing plans for the patrol with Sir Leon and Gwaine when Merlin popped in to tell him that he had a visitor. A tall dark-haired man stepped in, his eyes lit up when he saw Arthur siting upon the throne.

"Your majesty." he bowed courteously. "I apologize for interrupting you so rudely, but I came here on important business." Arthur waved his hand to signal for the man to continue. "Well, it's just that the-uh, the young lady you have in your dungeons-"

"Isabelle?" Arthur cut him off, sitting straight up in his chair.

"Yeah, that'd be her name. Well, you see, she's very important to me, I made a promise of sorts to her mother that I would-er, take care of her." he said, carefully choosing his words. "I know you probably have plans for her, but I really need her back." he pulled out a bag full of gold coins as he spoke. "I'd be willing to give you these in exchange for her, if you don't mind." Arthur sat dumbfounded, _what could this man possibly want with a young seer?_ "Perhaps you could give me your answer tomorrow?" the man suggested, seeing the King's unsureness. Arthur nodded and had the man escorted from the palace.

"Creep." Merlin commented.

"You're telling me!" Gwaine chuckled. "What could someone like him want with a pretty little enchantress?" Leon excused himself from the group, making no comment on the the unusual event. Once the doors had shut behind him, he hurried after the man. It wasn't hard to find him, his height made him stick out in a crowd like a sore thumb. Leon was fairly tall himself, but this man was a giant, he might even surpass Percival and that was really saying something. The knight followed him into the local inn, up a flight of stairs, and around two or three corridors before coming to a halt. He edged up to the door that he'd seen the man good through, listening intently for any clues as to what he might want with the girl.

"Well, where is she?" came an impatient woman's voice.

"The king was a bit...hesitant, he's giving me his answer tomorrow." the man explained.

"You better not have done anything to make us look suspicious! We need her!" the woman shrieked. The man shushed her,

"Quiet, Lucile! Do you want all of Camelot to know what we intend to do to that wretched woman? They'll have us hanged for murder!" Leon gulped, _they were going to kill her._ The woman mumbled a few words that Leon couldn't make out, he decided that he'd heard enough anyway and headed back to the castle, his mind in a blur.

"Hey, Leon! Where've you been?" asked a cheerful Merlin.

"Not now, Merlin." Leon snapped. The manservant looked hurt, Leon felt bad for being so impolite, even to a servant, but he really had more important things on hid mind right now. He had decided that he was going to break Isabelle out of the dungeons, however risky it may be. He gathered up some supplies: blankets, food, water, and some clothing. He slipped it all into a light brown saddle bag and pushed it underneath his bed so as to avoid questions from any unexpected guest that might show up in his chambers. He then strode casually from his room, trying his best not to look suspicious. He continued until he reached the King's private chambers, with a light knock on the door, he entered.

"Arthur? Merlin? Gwen?" No reply. He quickly slipped up to the dresser where the king kept his keys, selected the key to the dungeons and took his leave. He nearly collided with Merlin on his way out,

"Oh! Er-Merlin, I was just-uh... Looking for Arthur." Merlin shot the knight a skeptical look before answering.

"He's eating dinner with Gwen and the rest of the knights, like he always does this time of the day."

"Oh, yes, how could I forget... Sorry. See you, Merlin." The manservant scratched his head, _what's his problem?_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N - I'm really happy with this story so far! The chapters have been coming together really well! :D I'm hoping that it'll help cure my writers block on Of Love and Betrayal. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much much as I'm enjoying writing it! Happy reading! **

Leon waited until he was sure that everyone was asleep before sneaking down to the dungeons. He slipped past the guards with ease, making sure to stay in the shadows to avoid being seen. He slid up to the cell and unlocked the door, Isabelle stared up at him, a confused expression playing on her face. Leon signaled for her to remain quiet and follow him. The two wound through corridors and snuck down hallways before reaching an exit to the castle. They sped silently through the forest until they reached a small hut. Leon open the door and ushered the young seer inside.

"Why did you do that?" she demanded once he had closed the door behind them.

"Do what?"

"Save me." Leon blinked in surprise,

"I believe a thank you would suffice." Isabelle bit her lip,

"Thanks. But really, why did you help me? You would be risking your position as a knight if you got caught." Leon took in a deep breath before speaking,

"A man came to the castle today, he offered the king a large sum of money in exchange for you. When he left, I followed him, I was curious as to what he wanted with you. I overheard him talking to a woman called Lucile at the local inn, they said they were going to kill you..." The seer's jaw dropped, for a moment she remained completely speechless.

"W-was it a tall dark-haired man?" she asked nervously.

"Yes." Isabelle sank to the floor, glistening tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes. Leon sat down beside her, wondering what could have caused such a change in her manner. He slowly and carefully placed his arm around her, to his surprise she accepted his comfort gratefully.

"I'll never be rid of them! No matter where I go they always seem to find me!" she sobbed bitterly. She was throughly angry with herself, she had shown weakness in front of a knight of Camelot. She knew she had good reasons for doing so, but she was furious with herself all the same.

"Why do they want to kill you so badly?" Leon asked, his voice full of gentle concern. Isabelle stood up, she couldn't reveal her secret, the one that had haunted her for so many years, not yet. New tears filled her eyes, ready to glide down her cheeks at any given moment.

"You should leave, they'll be wondering where you are." Leon nodded, though he didn't really want to leave the young sorceress in this state. "Wait." she called after him. "You didn't tell me you're name."

"Sir Leon, milady." Isabelle smiled,

"Thank you, Sir Leon. I am greatly indebted to you."

Leon hurried back to the citadel, the warning bell sounded just as he pasted through the gates. _Perfect timing_, he thought. Within mere minutes he was in the council chambers with the king and the rest of the knights, looking as inconspicuous as a guilty person could look. Arthur informed all of them that someone had broken the seer out of the dungeons and helped her escape.

"Whoever it was stole the keys from my chambers, which can only mean one thing... We're dealing with a traitor." Leon winced at the word, one thing he thought he would never do in his life was betray his kingdom, how things had changed. Guilt began to take ahold of him as the realization of his betrayal sank in, not only had he helped a prisoner escape from the dungeons, he was now the accomplice of a sorceress, a crime that many had been put to death for. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Merlin glaring at him suspiciously. Arthur went over a couple more details of the seer's escape and devised a plan to recapture her. The meeting was then dismissed and all the knights hurried out of the council chambers. Leon rounded the corner to go to his room and nearly stumbled over a displeased looking Merlin in the process.

"Sorry, Merlin, I didn't see you there." he apologized as he tried to step past the manservant. Merlin moved over and stood directly in front of him, preventing the knight from passing,

"It was you, wasn't it? You helped the sorceress escape." Leon gulped, he had been caught.

"You don't understand," he began, keeping his low so as not to be heard. "that man from this morning, he's planning to kill her! I couldn't just stand by and let an innocent woman die." Merlin pondered this for a moment before speaking,

"But you betrayed Camelot in the process, your friends and family!" The knight hung his head, feeling ashamed of the crime he had committed. "You're risking your life for that girl. You don't even know who she is." Leon lifted his eyes to met Merlin's,

"I know that Isabelle has a good heart and that she doesn't deserve to die."

"Oh, so you're on first name terms with her now?" the manservant grinned cheekily. Leon blushed,

"Well-er..."

"Heavens Merlin, what could you have possibly said that has gotten Leon so tongue tied?" The knight and servant turned their heads to see Sir Gwaine heading towards them. Leon groaned as Merlin flashed him a mischievous grin, he had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well.

**A/N - As always, reviews make my day so feel to leave one! Love you guys! ;-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - I'm seriously having so much fun writing this! Hope you guys are enjoying reading it! :)**

Isabelle clasped her hands around her head, shaking violently as another horrifying vision poured itself into mind. She saw a darkened room that looked vaguely familiar, several shadowy figures emerged from the depths of the inky blackness. Their eyes glowed with a spark of cruel intention, the rest of their faces were concealed with pale masks and long, flowing, scarlet robes draped around their ghostly frames. Isabelle noticed another figure lying in center of the room, blood pooling around him from a wound in his side. Unlike like the others, this figure was dressed in relatively normal and wore no mask. He lifted his head just enough for Isabelle to get a look at his face, panic gripped her heart like a cold winter's chill. She was pulled from her vision with a bone chilling scream, her heart pounded violently like hammer inside her chest. Without a second thought she snatched up her sword and rushed back to Camelot.

Arthur lay restless in his bed, a feeling of uneasiness keeping him from the slumber he sought so desperately. Just when he thought he was about to drift off, a large, rough, callused hand clasped tightly over his face, preventing any air from reaching his lungs. The king pulled at the hand with all his might, trying furiously to escape it's grip. Mustering all his strength, he gave one final push and to his surprise, the hand released him. He gasped for air and rushed to grab his sword, prepared to defend himself against his attacker. Arthur stumbled across the cold, stone floor, cursing the light headed sensation that hazed his vision and sapped nearly every last drop of his strength.

"Come out and face me, you coward!" he shouted, trying to hide his weakened state. His eyes grew wide as he watched several dark, masked figures, dressed in scarlet robes, emerging from the depths of his chambers. He lunged at the individual nearest to him, his sword missing the frail frame by mere inches. Another swing of his blade held the same fate, he began to panic as the figures neared. "Guards..." he mumbled pitifully as he sank to the ground. A slender blade pierced his side with a sharp, numbing pain. Warm blood oozed from his wound, spreading across the floor like thick, red carpet. The gleeful cackles from his attackers began to fade from his mind, his eyelids began to grow heavy, the last thing he saw was a burst of warm light from his now open chamber doors and the figure of woman. Then, everything went black.

The figures hissed at the light that poured in from the open chamber doors. Hisses turned to angered growls as a woman's figure stepped through the doorway.

"Get away from him." she ordered in a threatening tone. One of the figures dared to step out in front of her, as if to taunt her. She didn't hesitate to slash her sword through his gut, fresh blood spilled onto the stone floor. The other figures jumped back in fright, startled at her bold actions. "I said, get away from him." she said with authoritative rage. The figures remained in their places, only tilting their heads to the side as if to get a better look at her. Overpowered by impatience and concern for the young king, Isabelle began to battle his attackers with a fearsome passion seen only in the bravest of warriors. A tall man's figure appeared in the doorway, he began to fight the group of masked beings as well. When all the strange creatures lay in a bloody mass upon the floor, Isabelle rushed to Arthur's side. The man who had assisted her quickly lit several candles to improve the room's dim lighting. He let out a small gasp,

"Isabelle? What are you doing here?" his voice quivered fearfully.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Leon? I'm saving the king." the seer's voice was cold and emotionless as she examined the man before her. She grasped the hem of her dress and tore off a shred, she wrapped the fabric around the King's body to help stop the bleeding.

"It's not safe for you here, you have to leave!" the knight insisted. Isabelle shot Leon a stone cold glare.

"I'm not leaving him." she snarled, turning back to Arthur. With closed eyes, she said a silent prayer that he would be all right. A third person rushed through the open doorway,

"What's-" Gwaine stopped, his mouth gaped at the sight before him. Masked figures lay strewn about the room, blood gushing from their cold bodies. Concern flooded his soft brown eyes as he spotted Arthur laying on the floor, wounded and helpless. "Arthur..." he breathed, hurrying to his friend's side. His eyes fell on the young seer, "You!" he spat accusingly.

"She's only helping, Gwaine!" Leon shouted in Isabelle's defense. With that, the knight grabbed the seer's arm and rushed out of the room. She protested loudly but that didn't stop him. He clasped a hand over her mouth as he exited the castle, trying his best to keep her silent. He sped through the forest, not stopping until he reached the hut. Leon kept his back to the door to keep the seer from escaping.

"Let me go!" she screamed furiously. Leon stood firm,

"Why do you want to help him so badly? Why would you want to save a man who would see you dead? Tell me!" Isabelle hung her head, tears escaping her eyes as she released the emotion that she had kept bottled up inside.

"You wouldn't understand..." she whimpered. "Please...please let me go back." The knight shook his head,

"I can't. They would kill you."

"I don't care!" she shouted through her tears. "I-" Her words were cut off by a sudden embrace from Leon.

"I do." he whispered. Fresh tears welled up in the seer's eyes, it had been so long since anyone had cared for her that she had almost forgotten what it felt like. All her life she had been hated, persecuted by the very ones who should have loved her the most. The haunting image of her mother's face filled her mind, she pushed it aside, not wanting to be reminded of the painful memories that it bore. Leon's hands began to brush gently through her thick, midnight hair as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He bent down and pressed his mouth to her's, pulling her small frame close to his. Their lips parted just slightly as they were infused in the beauty and passion of the kiss. Isabelle ran her fingers through Leon's honey colored locks, losing herself in the moment. Several moments passed before the knight pulled away,

"I-I should go..." he mumbled awkwardly. Isabelle nodded, pulling her hair in front of her face to hide a blush. With that, Leon hurried back to the citadel to face the consequences that awaited him.


	5. Consequences

**A/N - Sorry that I haven't updated in a while, I've been super super busy! Anyway, I'm really happy with how this story is playing out. :) Expect lots of moral dilemma and drama in the next few chapters. :D **

Arthur pulled his hand angrily through his light-colored hair, not wanting to believe the words he was hearing,

"Are you certain he was helping her, Gwaine?" the knight gave a solemn nod,

"I didn't want to believe it either..." The young king slammed his fist down on the table in a fit of rage,

"How could he do this? How could he betray his kingdom, everything he's ever known and loved for some sorceress?" Arthur gritted his teeth to keep back the spiteful words that threatened to spill from his mouth. It hurt him to see such a good friend turn his back on Camelot, especially since Leon had always seemed so loyal. He wondered how long the knight had been in league with the seer, had they met before her recent visit to the city? So many questions swirled through the King's mind, the only thing he was certain of now was Leon had most definitely been the one to help the witch escape from the dungeons.

Leon marched bravely through the courtyard, not quite knowing what to expect when his presence became known to the king. He clambered up the stone steps silently, wondering why he had even bothered coming back. The hallways seemed to stretch on forever as he made his way to the council chambers, each step he took grew heavier and heavier until it began to feel like he was carrying the weight of the whole kingdom with him. Then, before he knew it, he stood before the two council room doors. The knight noted that the two towering doors had never seemed quite so intimidating as they did at this very moment. Taking in a deep breath, he put his hands out in front of him and made his way into the room. The six pairs of eyes that met his gaze did nothing to ease his nerves, and the expressions of pain, hurt, anger, confusion, and concern only added to his discomfort. For what seemed like an eternity, no one spoke, everything seemed frozen in place until the sound of Arthur's voice penetrated the silence.

"Arrest him." No one moved. "Are you deaf? I said arrest him!" Elyan and Percival rushed from their places and escorted their friend to the dungeons, not wanting to end up taking a trip to the miserable prison cells themselves.

"Arthur!" Gwen pleaded. "You know this isn't right, don't do this to him!"

"Well, what do you suggest I do, Guinevere?" the king shouted with a bit more force than he'd expected.

"I know you're hurt, we all are, but this isn't right. Leon is your friend as well as mine, we can't just lock him up with giving him a chance." Arthur let out a defeated sigh, he knew Gwen was right, but how could he forgive Leon for his betrayal? How could he ever begin to trust the knight again?

Leon remained silent as his friends dragged him down to the dungeons, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact with them.

"Why did you do it, Leon?" Percival finally spoke up. "Why did you help her?"

"I couldn't just stand by and watch an innocent woman die." Leon said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"An innocent woman?" Elyan scoffed. "She attempted to kill the king!" Leon shot the dark skinned knight an angry glare,

"She saved him, Elyan! He would be dead if it wasn't for her!"

"That's not what Gwaine said." Elyan snapped back.

"Well, Gwaine was wrong!"

"Maybe you're right, Leon." Percival said softly, trying to calm his friend. "But even if she was just trying to help, she was still using magi-"

"So your saying that using magic to save a life is wrong?" Leon challenged. The other two men grew quiet, not quite knowing what to say.

"I know that the law says magic is evil, but Isabelle has shown me that it can be used for good as well. The knight paused briefly before continuing. "Lock me up if you want but leave her be, she has done no wrong." The slam of the cell door was the only reply that Leon got, he slumped against the wall in defeat, closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for Isabelle's protection.

The council chambers were unusually quite as Elyan and Percival made their entrance. Gwen gave the two a soft smile but neither Gwaine nor Arthur seemed to notice them.

"Sire?" Percival spoke up after several moments. No response. "Sire?" Nothing. "My lord?" he tried again. Finally the king looked up,

"Yes, Percival?"

"Apparently, sire, Isabelle, the sorceress wasn't trying to kill you." Arthur's brow wrinkled in confusion,

"Well what was she doing then?"

"Well, according to Leon she was trying to... save you." The King's eyes widened in surprise, that couldn't be right, could it? Why would a witch try to help him? All his life he had been taught that no good could come from magic, to hate it's very existence. If this woman had been trying to save him, he needed to know why.

"Prepare the horses." he announced. "We're going to find this, Isabelle."

**A/N - Hope all you lovely FF readers enjoyed this chap! Reviews are always appreciated so feel free to leave one. Thanks for reading! :)  
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	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Hey, guys! I know it's been FOREVER since I lasted up dated this and I apologize. I've completely lost interest in it, but rather than leaving you all hanging, I wrote this little chappy to tie all the loose ends together. This isn't how I originally wanted to end the story, but it was the only way I could end it without like 10+ lengthy chapters explaining everything. **

Isabelle jumped at the sound of the hut door opening, letting out a terrified scream as a large hand covered her mouth.

"Shhh." A gentle voice whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you." Her crystal blue eyes shot upwards and came face to face with one of the tallest men she had ever seen. Slowly, he moved his hand from her face.

"I'm Sir Percival, a friend of Leon's." He informed her. At this, she sighed in relief.

"Where is he?" She asked. Percival paused before answering, biting his lip as if carefully contemplating his reply.

"He's locked up in the castle dungeons for helping you." He finally answered. Isabelle's eyes widened in fright, she didn't want to believe it.

"Don't worry," Percival said, a gentle tone in his voice. "He will be released as soon as you explain why you helped save the King."

"I-I can't!" Isabelle exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes. "It's for Arthurs own protection that my secret must be kept!" She sank to the ground, wrapping her arms tightly around her knees. Percival placed a comforting arm around the seer's shoulder.

"I'm sure the King will be fine. Now come on, let's get back to Camelot." With a nod of agreement, Isabelle stood and followed Percival out the door, preparing herself to tell Arthur Pendragon the secret she had so long kept from him.

All was silent as the sorceress made her way into the throne room, Percival following close behind. She gave a slight bow as she approached the King, holding her hand up as he began to speak.

"My Lord," She addressed him. "If at all possible, I would prefer to have this conversation alone."

"As you wish." Arthur nodded after a moments silence. Gwaine began to protest, but Gwen quickly quieted him and pushed him out of the room. Isabelle took in a deep breath, carefully contemplating her first words.

"Sire..." She began. "When I first arrived in Camelot, you asked if you knew me. I replied by saying no. But if truth be told, we have met before." Her eyes began to shift to the floor out of nervousness. "You were never told for none other than your own safety, but we're... That is..." She struggled to find the words, her throat choking up with tears.

"Yes?" He asked softly.

"You're my brother, Arthur..."

"What?" The king gasped, not believing her words. "No, this can't be true."

"But it is." Isabelle said, her voice nearly a whisper. "We were twins, separated at birth."

"Why?" Arthur demanded, still not wanting to believe the seer.

"In exchange for giving our father an heir to the throne, the priestess Nimueh requested a child of her own as payment. This way her own legacy could live on for years to come. It was Uther's wish that you were never told of my existence because I grew up trained in the art of magic"

"And have you any proof of this?" He asked.

"I do." She replied. Reaching down her dress, she pulled out a long chain with what appeared to be a broken charm on the end. She handed it to Arthur and let him examine it. His eyes widened at the design, he couldn't believe it.

"Do you still have the other half?" Isabelle asked softly, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye. Arthur could only nod as he silently pulled a chain of his own out from beneath his clothing. Placing the two charms side by side, they made a the outline of a dragon.

"Mother gave them to us just before she died." She said with a soft smile. "It's all we have left of her." Without a warning Arthur scooped his newfound sister into his arms, holding her close.

"No, sister. We have each other."

**A/N - Hopefully that was alright. I'll be putting the epilogue up sometime this week so keep a look out for it!**


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